Segerseni

Ancient Egyptian or Nubian chieftain

Royal titulary

Horus name

Bik-nebu-ankh
Bjk-nbw-ˁnḫ
Living golden falcon

Prenomen (Praenomen)

Menkhkare
Mnḫ-k3-Rˁ
Fresh is the ka of Ra^[1]^[2]

Nomen

Segerseni
Sgrsnj

Dynastyking of Nubia, concurrent with 11th–12th Dynasty

Segerseni was an ancient Egyptian or Nubian chieftain of Nubia, likely reigning concurrently with the end of the 11th and beginning of the 12th Dynasty during the early Middle Kingdom.

Attestation

Segerseni is attested by one^[3] or two^[4]^[5] rock inscriptions discovered in Umbarakab (Khor-Dehmit) in Lower Nubia. Segerseni's throne name as given on the inscriptions remains in doubt as it was roughly carved and became badly weathered over time. It could be Menkhkare or Wadjkare. The former is now regarded as more probable.^[3] One of Segerseni's inscriptions possibly records a war in the unidentified region of Persenbet.^[5]

Segerseni is not attested on any of the Egyptian king lists.^[3]

Biography

Even though Segerseni adopted the titles of an Egyptian pharaoh, there is no evidence of him outside of Nubia.^[3] He was thus most likely a pretender to the Egyptian or Nubian throne headquartered in Lower Nubia, during a politically troubled period: either at the beginning of the First Intermediate Period,^[3] during the Second Intermediate Period,^[5] or in the time span including the reign of Mentuhotep IV of the 11th Dynasty and the early reign of Amenemhat I of the 12th Dynasty.^[1]^[3]^[6] The latter possibility is seen as more probable by Egyptologists.^[3] In particular, these two rulers seem to have had problems in being universally recognized as legitimate pharaohs.

It is known that Amenemhat I dispatched Khnumhotep I, the faithful Great Chief of the Oryx nome (the 16th nome of Upper Egypt) at Elephantine to Nubia in order to wipe out the last resistance against him there,^[7] but it is not known with certainty who was the leader of this resistance. It remains conjectural to posit that it was Segerseni. Furthermore, two other rulers based in Nubia, Iyibkhentre and Qakare Ini are known, likely from the same time period. They were both likely pretenders to the Egyptian throne, and the relationships between them and Segerseni are unknown. If Segerseni was indeed Amenemhat I's foe, he could have been fighting on Mentuhotep IV's side or for his own Nubian realm. Indeed, Nubia had gained its independence during the First Intermediate Period, as indicated by the military campaigns of Mentuhotep II in the region, only 40 years prior to Segerseni's conjectured lifetime.^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b Jürgen von Beckerath, Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen, Deutscher Kunstverlag, München/ Berlin 1984, ISBN 3-422-00832-2, pp. 64, 196.
^ Arthur Weigall, A Report on the Antiquities of Lower Nubia. Cairo 1907, pl. 19.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Darrell D. Baker: The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume I - Predynastic to the Twentieth Dynasty 3300–1069 BC, Stacey International, ISBN 978-1-905299-37-9, 2008, p. 357
^ T. Save-Soderbergh: Agypten und Nubien, Lund: Hakan Ohlsson 1941, 43 f
^ ^a ^b ^c Török, László (2008). Between Two Worlds: The Frontier Region Between Ancient Nubia and Egypt 3700 BC - 500 AD. Brill. pp. 101, 102. ISBN 978-90-04-17197-8.
^ Wolfram Grajetzki, The Middle Kingdom of ancient Egypt: history, archaeology and society. London, Duckworth Egyptology, 2006, pp. 27-28.
^ Nicolas Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford, Blackwell Books, 1992, p. 158–60.
^ Gae Callender, in: Ian Shaw (edit.), Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, p. 140.

III	Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Nebka Khaba Sedjes Qahedjet Huni
IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis
V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Neferefre Shepseskare Nyuserre Ini Menkauhor Kaiu Djedkare Isesi Unas
VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Nemtyemsaf I Pepi II Merenre Nemtyemsaf II Netjerkare Siptah Neferka Nefer

1^st Intermediate
(2181–2040 BC)

VII/VIII	Menkare Neferkare II Neferkare III Neby Djedkare Shemai Neferkare IV Khendu Merenhor Neferkamin Nikare Neferkare V Tereru Neferkahor Neferkare VI Pepiseneb Neferkamin Anu Qakare Iby Neferkaure Neferkauhor Neferirkare Wadjkare Khuiqer Khui Iytjenu
IX	Meryibre Khety Neferkare VII Nebkaure Khety Setut Imhotep
X	Meryhathor Neferkare VIII Wahkare Khety Merykare

Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period (2040–1550 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV
Nubia	Segerseni Qakare Ini Iyibkhentre
XII	Amenemhat I Senusret I Amenemhat II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhat III Amenemhat IV Sobekneferu^♀ Seankhibtawy Seankhibra

2^nd Intermediate
(1802–1550 BC)

XIII	Sekhemrekhutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Djedkheperew Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Merkheperre Merkare Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi
XIV	Yakbim Sekhaenre Ya'ammu Nubwoserre Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Khakherewre Nebefawre Sehebre Merdjefare Sewadjkare III Nebdjefare Nebsenre Sekheperenre Bebnum 'Apepi Nuya Wazad Sheneh Shenshek Khamure Yakareb Yaqub-Har
XV	Sharek Semqen 'Aper-'Anati Salitis Sakir-Har Khyan Yanassi Apepi Khamudi
XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III
Abydos	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib
XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef Nubkheperre Intef Sekhemre-Heruhirmaat Intef Senakhtenre Ahmose Seqenenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period (1550–664 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs (male female^♀) uncertain

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Thutmose I Thutmose II Hatshepsut^♀ Thutmose III Amenhotep II Thutmose IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten^♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb
XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret^♀
XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate
(1069–664 BC)

XXI	Smendes Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II
High Priests of Amun	Herihor Piankh Pinedjem I Masaharta Djedkhonsuefankh Menkheperre Smendes II Pinedjem II Psusennes III
XXII	Shoshenq I Osorkon I Shoshenq II Tutkheperre Shoshenq Takelot I Osorkon II Shoshenq III Shoshenq IV Pami Shoshenq V Pedubast II Osorkon IV
XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedubast I Iuput I Shoshenq VI Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamun Shoshenq VII Menkheperre Ini
XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenranef
XXV	Piye Shebitku Shabaka Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period and Hellenistic Period (664–30 BC)

Period

Dynasty	Pharaohs male female^♀ uncertain

Late
(664–332 BC)

XXVI	Ammeris Tefnakht II Nekauba Necho I Psamtik I Necho II Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III
XXVII	Cambyses II Petubastis III Darius I Psammetichus IV Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II
XXVIII	Amyrtaeus
XXIX	Nepherites I Hakor Psammuthes Nepherites II Muthis
XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II
XXXI	Artaxerxes III Khabash Arses Darius III